WSPC01242

• File Number: 8541
• Description: Rio Grande Basin-Rio Grande River Basin Water Projects-San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 2/1/1955
• Title: A Report on Fish and Wildlife Resources-San Luis Valley Project-Rio Grande Division
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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CONCLUSIONS

76. Construction and operation of the Rio Grande Division

of the San Luis Valley project will result in large losses to fish

and wildlife habitat. Wagon Wheel Gap Reservoir operation will

peImanently inundate 23 miles of the Rio Grande and tributary

streams, oausing a loss of l2,780 man-days of stream fishing use.

Of still greater oonsequenoe. projeot operation will impair trout

habitat in 77 miles of one of the best fishing streams in Colorado.

Lowered trout produotivity will be refleoted in deoreased opportunity

for fishing enjoyment to the extent of 27.900 man-days annually.

The prinoipal loss to wildlife will be through inundation of a part

of the big-game winter range. Diminished habi tat will deorease the

size of the elk and deer herds. eliminating an estimated 477 man-days

of big-game hunting. The minor upland-game and fur-animal habitat

now existing will be destroyed. Waterfowl habitat and hunting will

be slightly inoreased.

77. Decrease in utilization of the fish and wildlife resouroes

will be reflected in the recreation expenditures assooiated with

fishing and hunting. The $41l,OOO gross annual volume of recreational

fishing will be reduced to $230,000 with the project. an annual loss

of $181,000. Sportsmen expenditures for hunting will be reduced

from $19.740 to $2.61.+0. an annual loss of $17.100. The above monetary

values represent an annual eoonomic loss to the State of Colorado.

the impact of which will be felt most severely by the local economy in

the vioini ty of the project area.

78. Acceptanoe of recommendation (2) would mitigate the loss

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